Generally, an Electronic Service Guide (ESG) enables a terminal to communicate what services are available to end users and how the services may be accessed. ESG fragments are independently existing pieces of the ESG. Traditionally, ESG fragments comprise XML documents, but more recently they have encompassed a vast array of items, such as for example, a SDP (Session Description Protocol) description, textual file, or an image. The ESG fragments describe one or several aspects of currently available (or future) service or broadcast programs. Such aspects may include for example: free text description, schedule, geographical availability, price, purchase method, genre, and supplementary information such as preview images or clips. Audio, video and other types of data comprising the ESG fragments may be transmitted through a variety of types of networks according to many different protocols. For example, data can be transmitted through a collection of networks usually referred to as the “Internet” using protocols of the Internet protocol suite, such as Internet Protocol (IP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Data is often transmitted through the Internet addressed to a single user. It can, however, be addressed to a group of users, commonly known as multicasting. In the case in which the data is addressed to all users it is called broadcasting. The ESG data may be transmitted using different types of wireless digital networks including digital broadband broadcast, bidirectional, and/or multicast networks.
Many types of services may be broadcast to a subscriber terminal or receiver. For instance, a basic TV service, clipcast service, mixed service or radio service can be broadcast from a service provider to a terminal or plurality of terminals. The type of service provided can be indicated in an ESG. However, interactivity is provided only as part of the type of service. This creates a more complex enumeration that is difficult to maintain. Moreover, it is problematic to add additional combinations of services and interactivity and certain different combinations of services are not indicated as a result of the increased complexity. Also, the type of interactivity is not provided.
Thus, there exists a need for a method and system for providing interactivity information in a simple, efficient, yet comprehensive manner to allow more accurate information regarding a corresponding service. There is also a need to provide information in an ESG on the type of interactivity provided.